Recently, a remote log-in is made from a mobile terminal, such as a smartphone, a table, or the like, to a service server that is connected to a network such as the Internet or the like. For example, a password is used for a use authentication at the time of the remote log-in. However, when the password is stolen by an unauthorized third party, the unauthorized third party can make the remove log-in using the stolen password. Although security may be improved by making the password long, a keyboard displayed on a screen of a mobile terminal is small, and operability of this keyboard is poor compared to that of a desktop PC (Personal Computer) or the like. Consequently, the longer the password, the more load on the user of the mobile terminal.
On the other hand, the user authentication may be performed using biometric authentication or a user's belonging. The biometric authentication may use fingerprint, vein, iris, or the like, for example. On the other hand, the user's belonging may include an IC (Integrated Circuit) card, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) token, or the like, for example. It is relatively ease for the desktop PC or the like may perform the user authentication using the biometric authentication or the user's belonging by externally connecting thereto a device, such as a biometric sensor, an information reader, or the like. However, in the mobile terminal, certain functions may be restricted due to security restrictions, business model restrictions, or the like. The certain functions may include, for example, a function to add a device driver to the mobile terminal, a function to make a substitute input of a password used for a communication between applications by an inter-process communication, a function to make a substitute reply of the password to an authentication server by a browser plug-in, or the like. In the mobile terminal having such restricted functions, it is difficult to externally connect thereto the device that is used for the user authentication in order to perform the user authentication using the biometric authentication or the user's belonging.
According to the conventional mobile terminal, it is difficult to add an authenticating function by externally connecting thereto a device that is used for the user authentication.
Related art known to applicant includes Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2011-221729, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-151977, and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2013-57988, for example.